Cornerstone

When we build something, we need a firm foundation, or it will fall. As a parent, I have seen the frustration on my kids’ faces as their towers of magnetic tiles have made it only a few inches high before crumbling. It wasn’t until I showed them how to build a foundation that their towers stood firmly.

Isaiah’s prophecy isn’t just about preparation and using the right physical materials; it’s a prophecy about the coming of Jesus, who would be our cornerstone, the foundation upon which the church would be built.

A tested stone. Although Jesus was fully God, he was also fully human. And in his earthly life, he was definitely tested, yet he never wavered in his obedience and faithfulness to his Father.

Obedience isn’t something we like to talk about much in our culture. But Jesus practiced it as a foundational part of his life. He chose obedience to God, over and over—even when he knew the horrific suffering it would cause him.

Jesus’ parents also modeled extraordinary obedience to God. What God asked of them was risky and countercultural. Mary accepted that she would be the mother of the Son of God, despite being a virgin and unmarried. Joseph obeyed the angel in a dream, telling him to marry Mary, even though she was having a child that wasn’t his. Maybe that’s part of why God chose them to be Jesus’ earthly parents—for their obedience.

Luke 2:51–52 says Jesus was obedient to his parents and increased in wisdom and stature. This probably helped him to later withstand the 40 days and 40 nights of temptation. He was tested by Satan in the wilderness, but denied everything the enemy offered. It’s likely that obedience had helped teach him to listen for and follow the will of God, to remain firm and faithful.

We all experience wilderness seasons, times of testing, that can make us feel on the brink of collapse. My wilderness season lasted seven years. I wanted desperately to be leading and shepherding people. I knew God’s call on my life, but I didn’t understand his timeline. I look back and see missed opportunities for growth when I chose to be a victim instead of a victor. It wasn’t until I actively obeyed God telling me to wait, to remain secure in him, that I realized the goodness that came with waiting faithfully. When we’re tested, obedience can build faithfulness, and as I’ve learned—now as a campus pastor—God’s timing leads to blessings.

Jesus offers himself as our cornerstone, the stone by which our lives can be set firm and secure. It’s a foundation that will never shift or change.

Reflect

As you reflect on today’s devotional, listen to the song, “Cornerstone”while you answer this question:

What might you be relying on as a cornerstone in your life other than Jesus?